KARACHI: A Chinese firm on Monday said it has started underground hydrological surveys in Sindh as part of a coal-mining and power generation project.

China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) has entered concluding stages of evaluation process of its leased area of 57 sq km in Sonda Jerruk coal field of District Thatta, a company official said.

“As a large-scale state-owned company in China, CMC has effectively urbanized coal mines in countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, with rich international experience accrued in this field,” it said in a press release.

Sonda-Jherruk coal mine and power plant project is expected at generating around 405 megawatts of electricity using coal. The hydrological survey will assist ascertain the amount of underground water, essential for power generation purpose. The tariff is still to be determined and definite work on mining is expected to start by middle of this year, the company official said, adding that an earlier study has established availability of 1.8 million tonnes of coal per year.

CMC had begun its preliminary studies for mine construction work in May 2008 and will increase its input in Sonda-Jherruk project along with its additional investment of US $2 million for the development of the coal mine. The sources said that coal resource of Pakistan are abundant, while the extensive exploitation of which is seldom.

The forthcoming exercise is the second detailed exploration made by CMC at Sonda-Jherruk coal-field said the CNC sources mentioning that the main contents are Shaft Geological Investigation, Detailed Hydro-geological Testing and Water Resources Investigation.

The sources said, "shaft drilling is a great milestone for the development of the coal mine." Six containers of exploration equipments were sent from China to the work site. Presently there are 77 persons at site, including 21 Chinese engineers and 56 Pakistani, said the sources. They appreciated that exploration work is greatly supported by the Sindh government and round the clock security was provided by Sindh Police.

ISLAMABAD : Authorities concerned may recommend to parliament to abandon the proposed $7.6 billion IPI gas line project here in the meeting of the steering committee that meets today (Thursday) with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain in the chair.

The irrational demand by Iran, seeking exorbitant price of $10-11 per mmbtu gas from Pakistan under the proposed project, has left the authorities concerned, who have been part of the dialogue on this mega gas line for the last 14 years, in the lurch as this project remains no more economically viable for Pakistan.
In Wednesday’s meeting of the steering committee, all the top brains of the government would discuss the pros and cons of the irrational demand of Tehran with regard to the gas prices and other related issues.

After formulating the recommendations about the future strategy with regard to the much trumpeted gas line, the said committee would sensitise parliament on the issue and leave it to the House to take a decision, either to prolong the dialogue on the demand of Terhan or quit the project.

The official said that Pakistan and Iran had earlier agreed on $6.66 per mmbtu price in December 2007 for the gas to be imported through the mega gas line. The official said that Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources earlier briefed Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillai some three months back and advocated for abandoning the project keeping in view the irrational demands of Tehran. In that particular meeting, the ministry ís top man recommended to the government for aggressive exploration and production of oil and gas in the country.

He said the new exploration and production petroleum policy 2009 with alluring incentives would definitely accelerate the investment in the oil and gas sector. Pakistan is rich in oil and gas, particularly Balochistan. If the government manages to enforce its writ by giving the ownership feeling to the local people, then aggressive oil and gas exploration can be carried out. This is the only way left for Pakistan to cater to the energy needs of the country.†

To a question, the official said that a complete failure in the ongoing talks in Tehran was realised when Dr Asim recently visited Iran. The deadlock in the talks is a setback for the energy starved Pakistan, as both the countries had initiated the negotiations some time in 1992-93, and there still seems no light even at the end of the tunnel with regard to initiating the work on the ground.

The official, who was a part of the delegation during the talks, said that both sides remained stuck to their stances and failed to iron out the rifts over the price mechanism. Iran actually backed out of the Gas Sales Purchase Agreement some months back, shocking Pakistan, and came up with new proposals for selling gas under the IPI project. Since then, no progress has taken place on the IPI issue.

Other than the massive hike in gas prices under the proposed project, Iran wants that in case gas supply to India is wilfully disrupted by Pakistan, then Iran will reduce supply of gas to Pakistan in the same proportion.

Tehran also wants Islamabad to allow one price review before the IPI project gets operational. Under the proposal, Iran will be authorised to re-open the price formula even before the commencement date of the project. This would trigger complete uncertainty in the prices of piped gas to be imported.

Iran wants to move the price formula closer to spot market prices, rather than long-term contract prices that is imperative to establish the viability of the project. However, Pakistan is of the view that uncertainty in gas price will make the IPI project economically unviable. Pakistanís stance is that the price of imported gas must be competitive to alternate fuels in the Pakistani market.

Comments : Pakistan has been most "Generous" to agree to a price of USD 6.66 per mmbtu - one for a long period of possibly 10 years.

In my view Iran's demand of a "spot market" price for a Long Period Contract is outrageous and unrealistic - to say the least.

ISLAMABAD (January 16 2009): Iran has scaled down its earlier demand to link the price of gas from 85 percent to 78 percent of crude oil price under the still to be approved Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline deal. The steering committee on IPI gas pipeline project, which is a sub-committee of the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, was informed that it had decided to recommend to the Cabinet to show greater flexibility on the gas price on offer by Iran.

The committee, however, took positive note of the deliberations held so far between Pakistan and Iran on the project. The steering committees recommendations will be placed before the Cabinet for approval. Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin, Chief Minister of Balochistan Aslam Raisani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Finance, Economic affairs and statistics Hina Rabbani Khar, Petroleum Secretary Mehmood Saleem Mehmood, Managing Director of ISGS Hassan Nawab Khan and other officials attended the meeting.

Pakistan had offered to link gas price to 60 percent of crude oil price. Sources said that the steering committee decided to present the fresh demand of Iran to link the gas price to 78 percent of crude oil price before the Cabinet for guidelines to resume the talks on IPI. The meeting observed that the country would generate 5000 MW electricity from one billion cubic feet gas per day (bcfd) imported from Iran.

It was noted that thermal power plants required gas to generate power. The current power shortfall is 3000 MW that would rise to 10,000 MW per day by 2020. Sources said that the committee noticed that the country was also facing 700 million cubic feet per day shortfall that would shoot up to two billion cubic feet per day by 2010. It also reviewed the electricity, generated from solar and wind project, was costlier than electricity generated from thermal plants to be operated on imported gas from Iran.

The IPI project will have a 2,775-kilometre-long pipeline to carry Iran's natural gas to Pakistan and India. The project, estimated to be completed in three to five years time, is expected to benefit energy-starved Pakistan. The pipeline would be supplied from South Pars field. The construction operation was to start in 2009 and the pipeline was expected to be completed in 2013, the committee was told.

A Turkish company has signed an agreement upon a project to generate electricity through wind in Hyderabad; 6 megawatt of electricity will be produced through this project. According to the project, five wind towers will be installed near Hyderabad.

Each of the towers will produce 1.2 megawatt electricity and this project will cost 130 million dollars; it will be functional till the end of next month. The amount of electricity produced will facilitate 6,900 houses. After signing the pact, Federal Minister for Electricity and Water Raja Pervez Ashraf told media that eleven short-term projects are near completion; whereas twelve projects are in pipeline, which will be completed by December 2009. On this occasion, Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan told that Turkey is eager to invest in various projects of Pakistan.

__________________Unity, Faith and Discipline

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Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf on Saturday said that government will generate additional electricity of 4,000 MW by the end of this year with the support of private sector. Addressing a press conference here after attending the signing ceremony of Energy Purchase Agreement of the country’s first wind farm, set up by a Turkish company, the minister assured that there will be no load shedding after December 2009 and the government will overcome power deficiency by completing all short-term projects within a year. He said the government has also initiated rental projects which is only way to have required energy within 11 months to overcome the power shortfall.

He said 11 projects are being initiated while 12 projects are in pipeline which will be started soon. He said the government was also working on enhancing the capacity of existing system while it was also considering its long-term projects like Diamir-Bhasha Dam, Neelum-Jhelum and Kohala Project. He said further studies will be carried out in areas where wind mills can be installed including Kalar Kahar and Gharo.

He said the ministry was in the process of adding fast track power to the system in addition to the up-coming new power generation projects for 2009. Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) facilitated the setting up of the wind farm by assisting ZEPL in leasing the land from Sindh government, development of feasibility study, tariff determination and acquisition of generation license, verification of power production numbers, and drafting, reviewing and finalization of project documents including Energy purchase Agreement (EPA), Implementation Agreement (IA), and measuring protocols.

Pakistan has considered a potential of wind energy in the coastal belt of Sindh and Balochistan as well as in the desert areas of Punjab and Sindh. This corridor has the exploitable potential of 50,000 MW of electricity generation through wind energy.

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Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf on Saturday said that government will generate additional electricity of 4,000 MW by the end of this year with the support of private sector. Addressing a press conference here after attending the signing ceremony of Energy Purchase Agreement of the country’s first wind farm, set up by a Turkish company, the minister assured that there will be no load shedding after December 2009 and the government will overcome power deficiency by completing all short-term projects within a year. He said the government has also initiated rental projects which is only way to have required energy within 11 months to overcome the power shortfall.

He said 11 projects are being initiated while 12 projects are in pipeline which will be started soon. He said the government was also working on enhancing the capacity of existing system while it was also considering its long-term projects like Diamir-Bhasha Dam, Neelum-Jhelum and Kohala Project. He said further studies will be carried out in areas where wind mills can be installed including Kalar Kahar and Gharo.

He said the ministry was in the process of adding fast track power to the system in addition to the up-coming new power generation projects for 2009. Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) facilitated the setting up of the wind farm by assisting ZEPL in leasing the land from Sindh government, development of feasibility study, tariff determination and acquisition of generation license, verification of power production numbers, and drafting, reviewing and finalization of project documents including Energy purchase Agreement (EPA), Implementation Agreement (IA), and measuring protocols.

Pakistan has considered a potential of wind energy in the coastal belt of Sindh and Balochistan as well as in the desert areas of Punjab and Sindh. This corridor has the exploitable potential of 50,000 MW of electricity generation through wind energy.

HYDERABAD : A government employee claimed to have designed the first fuel-free power generation system here on Saturday.

Talking to newsmen at the Hyderabad Press Club, Syed Anwar Ali, a Wapda stenographer, said Rs 3 to 4 billion, a 5-km area and 40 to 50 people were required for the production of electricity.

He said if installed, the system would be capable of producing about 100 Mega Watt power within six months. He said no import of material and manpower was required to develop the system, which would be cost effective in comparison to other forms of power generation. He said he completed the design of the system after a 10-year research.

Anwar said researchers and scientists had already approved the design.

He said he had submitted the details of the design to the president, the prime minister, the minister for water and power, the Wapda chairman and other high-ups for approval.

KARACHI (January 18 2009): The Sindh government has decided to establish a coal-based power generation plant in Thatta district to generate 405 megawatts electricity to overcome the growing energy crisis, Business Recorder learnt on Saturday. The coal-based power plant will be set up near Sonda, some 40-km away from Thatta town.

The plant will produce 405 megawatts electricity in three years, official sources in the Mines and Minerals Department said. They said a Chinese company - CMC has been awarded the contract to complete the project at an estimated cost of $1 billion. In line with the project plan, the plant will generate 135MW from coal reserves every year.

The officials said that a team comprising 12 engineers of a Chinese firm has begun work following the feasibility report of the project to undertake the development work. "The experts of the firm and staff of the Mines and Mineral Department have established their camp offices at the site and doing their job on an emergency basis so that work could be started as early as possible. The prevailing energy crisis will be over this year," they added.

They believed that the Sonda area has coal reserves of more than 300 million tonnes. There are 173 gas fields in Pakistan, of them 140 are located in Sindh, 22 in Punjab, 7 in Balochistan and four in NWFP. "The coal reserves are a huge source of power generation, which will help overcome the electricity shortage in the country," they said. The World Bank is also keen to invest in two developed blocks of the Thar coal projects. Besides, many foreign countries have shown interest in Thar coal development projects.

To a question, the officials said that the President had resolved the dispute between Sindh government and the federal government over the rights of Thar coal. Now, the provincial government can independently decide and carry out the project through Thar Coal Development Board. About the authority of fixing tariff, the officials said that the Sindh Energy Board will decide the price of electricity to be generated from coal reserves.

HYDERABAD : A government employee claimed to have designed the first fuel-free power generation system here on Saturday.

Talking to newsmen at the Hyderabad Press Club, Syed Anwar Ali, a Wapda stenographer, said Rs 3 to 4 billion, a 5-km area and 40 to 50 people were required for the production of electricity.

He said if installed, the system would be capable of producing about 100 Mega Watt power within six months. He said no import of material and manpower was required to develop the system, which would be cost effective in comparison to other forms of power generation. He said he completed the design of the system after a 10-year research.

Anwar said researchers and scientists had already approved the design.

He said he had submitted the details of the design to the president, the prime minister, the minister for water and power, the Wapda chairman and other high-ups for approval.

Cheers

So how is electricity generated, that's what I'm interested in. Geothermal? Wind?

So how is electricity generated, that's what I'm interested in. Geothermal? Wind?

siamu maharaj :

Syed Anwar Ali, a Wapda stenographer, has designed the first fuel-free power generation system.

Since this system is a FIRST therefore it will not be based on the “INPUTS” which are already known i.e. Turbines - Gas, Steam, Water - Steam or Internal Combustion Engines, Wind, Geo-Thermal, Wave Power or any other Fuel or for that materr any other System which is already known to Man and of course to Woman.

Lets us wait with bated breath for this miraculous system to be unveiled.

Since this system is a FIRST therefore it will not be based on the “INPUTS” which are already known i.e. Turbines - Gas, Steam, Water - Steam or Internal Combustion Engines, Wind, Geo-Thermal, Wave Power or any other Fuel or for that materr any other System which is already known to Man and of course to Woman.

Input-free energy generation is Scientifically Impossible! You just can't create energy out of thin air (btw, even in that case thin air would be the input ). Plus this guy isn't a scientist, just a wapda employee and I'm pretty sure he has one or two bolts loose in his brain to even claim a such thing.

__________________Napoleon: "It's no use having men fight like lions when they're led by donkeys."

Input-free energy generation is Scientifically Impossible! You just can't create energy out of thin air (btw, even in that case thin air would be the input ). Plus this guy isn't a scientist, just a wapda employee and I'm pretty sure he has one or two bolts loose in his brain to even claim a such thing.

I thnik the writer meant to say that the guy found a new source of input, which is totally within the laws of physics. But I still think this is BS.

KARACHI: Chief Minister of Sindh, Qaim Ali Shah, has said eight blocks of Thar coal have already been developed and now the World Bank is also interested in two blocks of the Thar coal project. In this regard, it has already held two high-level meetings in Washington.

The CM said China was also very enthusiastic to be associated with the project and the government was in talks with it regarding the matter.

Shah added that both small and big investments worth over $2 billion were in the books and would be announced once they were finalized.

Shah visited the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Wednesday to meet businessmen and discuss issues related to the economy with them.

The CM clarified that the Sindh Energy Board would decide the power tariff that would be produced by Thar coal, NEPRA and OGRA disputes regarding the subject were directionless.

He further said the government would be holding a high level meeting in two days to discuss several issues and the matter of Thar coal would also be taken up there. The Thar coal issue has been in question for over a decade as it had been initiated by the late Benazir Bhutto back in 1994. He said the then president had also realized the potential of the project. Shah also said the agricultural sector retains great potential especially in terms of crop development and land development and there were foreign investors looking towards investing in that direction as well.

He stated Pakistan wasn’t facing severe economic crises as some of other countries like Dubai and USA where Pakistani investors had been crippled by losses. He said all the issues that were being faced by the business community were in the knowledge of the top officials of the country, however, problems such as rising unemployment was not the issue of the government alone and the private sector also had its share in it as it is the mainstream force that creates employment opportunities.

The CM expressed that the government would do its best to strengthen the foundations of the private sector. “To bolster the economy, active participation of the business community is essential” he stressed.

The CM stated though the confidence of the investors had been shaken for a while, confidence building measures were being taken ardently and already the political side of the country was positive and constructive. Shah also said the government was concentrating on the primary education in the country and already 2,500 schools had been established.

He said the World Bank had also pledged $300 million for the primary school education enhancement in the country. He added that 7,000 teachers had already been employed and an additional 15,000 teachers were to be added to the list including universities.

He said the state was planning to establish an education city for which he had personally visited a few sites. The CM further articulated that if the private sector was interested in setting up a university, then the government would facilitate it.

KARACHI (January 21 2009): Land measuring 33,976 acres, granted on lease in Gharo and Jhampir to the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) for installation of windmills, may be cancelled due to non-utilisation within the stipulated period. According to details available here on Tuesday, of the 21 companies which were allotted this land, so far only Zorlu Emerji, of Turkey, has utilised its allotted land by installing a windmill.

Following a directive received from the President of Pakistan to know the exact status of the land leased out to AEDB, the Additional Chief Secretary had convened a meeting here on December 15 to review progress on the installation of windmills in Thatta by AEDB, for power generation. The issue was discussed threadbare in the light of a presentation made by ADEB, highlighting progress/impediments in the implementation of the project.

Sindh Land Utilisation Department Secretary had, in February 2008 informed the Executive District Officer (Revenue), Thatta, about the grant of lease for 30 years of an area of 33,976 acres, consisting of 19,807 acres in Gharo and 14169 acres in Jhampir. The rate for lease money was fixed as follows: from one year to 10 years @ Rs 500 per acre per year; from 11 to 20 years @ Rs 1000 per acre per year; and from 21 to 30 years @ Rs 2000 per acre per year. The lease money for the first 10 years, viz Rs 16,98,80,000 had also been deposited in lump sum in the treasury.

The first condition of lease was that the project should be initiated within a period of six months. In case of non-completion of the project, land would be forfeited to the government, without any notice and without payment of any compensation for any structure raised. In justifiable circumstances, however, the government, only on payment of non-utilisation fee of 10 percent of the price (occupancy value) may extend the completion period of the project.

It was agreed that the land should be solely used for installation windmills to generate electricity, and would not be used for any other purpose, unless the lessee obtained prior permission from the lessor, and the lessee fulfil the conditions on which permission is granted.

Pakistan has a considerable potential of wind energy in the coastal belt of Sindh, Balochistan and in the desert areas of both Punjab and Sindh. This renewable source of energy has, however, not so far been utilised significantly.

The wind data of all Pakistan was collected from Pakistan Meteorological Department and analysed by the AEDB. As per the collected data, the coastal belt of Pakistan is blessed with a God gifted wind corridor that is 60 km wide (Gharo-Kati Bandar) and 180 km long (up to Hyderabad).

This corridor has the exploitable potential of 50,000 mw electricity generation through wind energy. Most of the remote villages in the south can be electrified through micro wind turbines. It is estimated that more than 5000 villages can be electrified through wind energy in Sindh, Balochistan and northern areas.

__________________
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HYDERABAD, Jan 17 : A Wapda employee who is just intermediate claimed on Saturday to have invented a fuel-free power generation plant, which used only gravitational force to generate 100 megawatts of electricity. Syed Anwar Ali Shah, a stenographer at the office of general manager of Wapda’s power wing in Hyderabad said at a news conference that he had sought approval from the president and prime minister, federal minister for water and power and chairman of Wapda to go ahead on the project but unfortunately it was now gathering dust on the table of a general manager at the Wapda House.

He feared the project, which was the result of years of his sweat and hard labour, would be crucified at the altar of red-tapism.

The plant would run on gravitational force only and it had been endorsed by many senior Wapda engineers, including chief engineers, consultant engineers and other high profile engineers who agreed that it was workable, he said.

Mr Shah appealed to the president, prime minister and federal minister for water and power to pay attention to the project in the larger interest of the country.

The plant could easily produce 100 megawatts at half the expenses incurred on hydro and thermal power plants. Besides, no outside help was required for installing it, he added.

He said the plant would start producing electricity within six months of installation and thanked the Explorers, a geological assistance group for sponsoring the project.

The managing director of the Explorers, Makhdoom Khurram, was also present at the press conference.

Note : Ladies and Gentlemen - Never be too skeptic of an "Inventor"

One hopes that the Government of Pakistan permits this "Revolutionary Idea" to India.

Caution : One would be very wary of the Oil and Coal Producing Countries who would do there best to stiffle this Revolutionary Idea.